A Hero Always
by GrayHeart
Summary: Ichigo was just trying to get on with his life. He never expected to get pulled into the world of super heroes.
1. Chapter 1

**Author: Greyheart**

**Beta/Co-writer: Aoirann**

**Summary: Ichigo was just trying to get on with his life. He never expected to get pulled into the world of super heroes.**

**A Challenge From Swanboy**

**Note: Not a new update but a proofreading as we write the next chapter. And we're ignoring the Final arc as it's not finished and we would have to scrap all our plans for the story.**

Ichigo gave a sigh of relief as he put the last of his boxes in his dorm room and flopped down on the mattress. It had been three years since Ichigo's adventures as a Shinigami. He was now 18 and attending College to become a doctor. He had figured that he'd go to one in Japan. Until he got the letter.

*Flashback 1 year before*

Ichigo was looking through Colleges with good medical programs when his sister, Karin, came in with the mail.

"You got a letter Ichigo," said Karin in a bored tone that all teenagers master. Ichigo took the letter curiously as he rarely got mail. He read through the letter, his eyes widening more every second. He was being offered a foreign exchange scholarship set up by the Wayne Foundation in Gotham City. Both his sisters looked at him curiously.

"I've been offered a Scholarship in the U.S..." said Ichigo said slowly. He knew an education in the U.S. was great opportunity. (That and he'd get away from his dad). And he'd always wanted to go to the U.S. But he'd never been out of Katakura town before or his friends.

"You should take it Ichigo!" said Yuzu excitedly.

"Yeah we can handle things here so you don't have to worry. We'll make sure that Dad doesn't drown in his tear over 'His son leaving him' or something." said Karin grumbled.

*END Flashback*

Those words really stung Ichigo because they had been the equivalence of "We don't need you to protect us any more." And that's what he'd always been. A Protector. 'Maybe that's why I left... for a new start,' thought Ichigo and looked around at the boxes. 'Better finish unpacking.' Ichigo was just glad he didn't have a roommate, Because this was going to take a while.

*Time Skip 2 weeks later*

Barbara Gordon decided she liked this new Cafe, the food and drinks were good and decently price, it was close to the library, it was handicapped accessible, and there was a cute waiter. He was around 6 feet tall with a muscular but slim build, his hair a bright orange, ("It's Natural!" she heard him growled once) brown eyes, and a permanent scowl on his face. He was a chick magnet, but was oblivious to the fact and the flirting. He just declined date offers and did his job.

"Miss, not to be rude, but could you stop staring at me?" said a voice and Barbara blinked as she realized the guy was right in front of her. She looked sheepish and blinks when he sets down her order and turns to leave.

"Wait!" said Barbara a bit too quickly and the waiter stopped and raise an eyebrow, "What's your name?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki" said the waiter with a small smil ."You?"

"Barbara Gordon"

'Somethings never change.' Sighed Ichigo inwardly as he faced the group of thugs, six of them around him in a semicircle with his back to the wall.

"Hand over your money and we may let you off," said the 'leader' of the group, a guy covered in tattoos, in a greasy tone.

"Hmm, let me think-No," said Ichigo really annoyed. He'd had a long day of classes and work. He just wanted to go back to his dorm and sleep.

"Lets make him bleed boys!" said 'Tattoo' and the other thugs brought out blades, pipes, and a chain but no guns. "We're going to make you bleed kid!"

Famous last words.

Batman was on patrol. It had been a fairly quiet night so far, a robbery, a few would-be rapists, and the Penguin. Then he heard the distinct sounds of a fight and leap across the rooftops until he found the commotion. In the alley was an orange haired teen fighting six thugs.

And the kid was winning. Three of the thugs were already knocked out faces bruised and bloody lay on the ground, with knifes and knocked out teeth close by. Even as the Dark Knight watched, the teen knocked out the next two with little trouble. However things changed when the last thug pulled a gun. On instinct Batman threw a Bat-a-rang as the teen somersaulted to avoid the shot. The gun was sent skidding into the darkness as the teen rushed forward, and smashed the thugs' face against the brick wall.

The next day Barbara went into the cafe and went to her usual table. She had started to set up her laptop when she looked up and nearly fell out of her wheelchair in shock. At the counter was Ichigo slouched over it, bored. That wasn't what caused to nearly fall out of her chair though, as that's normal for him. It also wasn't the fact that he had several bandages on his hands or the even deeper than usual scowl he had. No, what had caused her shock was what was in his hand. Ichigo was idly fiddling with a Batarang in his hand. There were plenty of shops around Gotham that claimed to sell real Batarangs. However all of them were cheap knockoffs since Batman made them himself by hand. And Barbara had been Batgirl long enough to know that the one that Ichigo was playing with was genuine.

"What do you have there?" That question was enough to catch Ichigo off-guard. His elbow slipped and his face crashed into the counter.

"Ow." Was all Ichigo said Barbara cringed. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Just peachy." Ichigo grumbled as he picked himself off the counter. "First getting jumped by those thugs and then this. What's next?" On cue a man wearing a ski mask and and holding a Shotgun burst into the cafe.

"Alright nobody move!" Most of the patrons calmly froze. It was Gotham so a robbery was sadly routine for them. However Ichigo wasn't and was still angry from last night. "Goddamnit!" Ichigo grabbed the baseball bat from underneath the counter and dashed at the robber faster than most people could follow let alone move. The robber didn't get a chance to react.

"What the Hell-ARGH!" *Snap* "Ah! I only have two of those! Well one now!" *Boink* "Ah My Blood! You punch out all my Blood!" *Crack!" "My mother gave me that arm!" *POW* *BIFF* *BOFF* *SPLAT* *THUNK*

The entire time that this was happening Barbara was cringing at the beat-down. And yet for some reason it seemed to stir a sense of Deja Vu in her. After a while Ichigo was standing over the would-be robber breathing heavily. The robber was lying on the ground moaning and trying not to move due to the pain.

"Ow…. I can't feel my face…." whined the robber from the cafe as the paramedics took him the hospital for observation and resetting his bones.

"Oh quit your whining, you alive aren't you?!" Ichigo yelled at him from where he was. He turned back to the Cop he was giving his statement to.

"The guy came in with a gun and I was pissed. What's more to say?" said Ichigo with a shrug.

**Author's note: So here's the story.**

**For those of you who are wondering, yes we did use the sound effects from the original Batman series starring Adam West. And now that my beta transferred to my college I can now threaten him to edit or I will beat him like a pinata. Also this is the First Challenge I've taken so it may be slow for a while. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Author:Grayheart**

** Beta****/Co-writer: Aoirann**

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><p>Two weeks past since the almost-robbery, and things were going pretty well in his classes, and his job. Though his boss gave him a short lecture about safety. He also became friends with Barbara, most of the time they just talked about things from school, interests, hobbies, friends, and the like. Family and Romantic relationships were a bit of a sore spot for both of them.<p>

Ichigo was walking back to his dorm when her heard something coming from.

"Give your purse, bitch!"

"I perfur Queen"

Before anything else could happen there was a loud *Twhack*. The robbers eyes rolled up in his head, and he felled to the ground bonelessly. the woman blinked.

"hey br-You're not Batman"

"Who?"

She cocked an eyebrow "You're new to this city aren't you?"

"Yep"

"Selina Kyle"

"Ichigo Kurosaki"

"HELP!" Came a scream from another alley and Ichigo's scowled deepened.

"What the hell is wrong with this city!" he said moving towards the yell, Selina following him.

They found a thug pinning a woman with half her dress ripped off.

"Didn't I already beat your ass?" growled Ichigo and the thug froze and turned around. However before either of them could react Selina shot forward and kicked him right in the family jewels. Ichigo winced as Selina started he brutal beat down.

"So you think you can just go around mistreating women? Bastard!" *Crack* Ichigo, trying to not look at the brutal beatdown happening to the man's genitalia, turned to the women. He took of his coat and put it on the woman's shoulders. "Here. You need this more then me." This caused the woman to snap out of her shock. She just looked at Ichigo and started to cry She then flung herself at Ichigo, burying her face in his chest and sobbed. Ichigo awkwardly started to pat her back, watched Selina make he would-be rapist pray for death, and thought "And the worst part is that this is nowhere near the oddest moment of my life."

**One 911 phone call latter**

"You again?" said the cop in exasperation.

"Not my fault this crap happens around me" said Ichigo sulking.

**Same Time with Selina **

"You know. I think this is the first time I've encountered you without you being arrested," the detective commented.

"I know. It's a bit surreal isn't it," Seline commented while leaning against the cop cruiser.

**Next day**

Barbara rolled into the cafe and saw Ichigo with head on the counter.

"What happened this time?" asked Barbara, and Ichigo explained how he stopped two crimes in ten minutes.

"I hate this town" he muttered letting his head hit the counter and Barbara patted his back in sympathy.

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><p><strong>please review!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Author: Grayheart**

**Beta****/Co-writer: Aoirann**

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><p>Barbara and Ichigo were talking at the cafe on Ichigo's break.<p>

"I hate this town," moaned Ichigo as he rubbed his face with his hand.

"Well at least a few people are trying to clean up the city." Barbara said. Ichigo looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Like who?"

"Like Batman," Barbara said in an obvious tone.

"Who?" There was a long pause. "You came all the way to Gotham without researching such an important fact." Barbara said almost disbelievingly.

"Well... Yes." Ichigo said. *Thump* Barbara hit her head on the table they were sitting at.

"Okay," Barbara muttered mostly to herself "I'll tell you. Batman is a law defying Vigilante or Greatest Hero of Gotham, depending on who you ask. The latter is what most people think of him including the police. He turned up around twenty years ago. Of course back then people didn't really think much of low ranking criminals being taken down, but then he started taking care of gangs, drug rings, and corrupt cops. And then the Villains started showing up. For some reason after Batman came a bunch of people decided to dress in costumes to commit crimes."

"Like him?" Ichigo pointed out the window. Barbara followed his finger. "What?-Oh for the love of God! I thought Killer Moth was still in Blackgate." Barbara snapped. Outside of the window was Killer Moth in full costume walking towards the cafe.

"I'll get the bat." Ichigo said while getting up from the table. Ichigo leaped over the counter. By the time he had Killer Moth had already walked into the door. He stopped, looked around, and scratched the back of his head. "Oh god. This is really embarrassing. I can't believe Kitten is making me do this. You think after the last time she made me kidnap a boyfriend it ended up badly." He muttered all this to himself and sighed. "Is there a tall, orange haired boy who works as a waiter here?" Killer Moth asked to everyone.

"Right here!" Came from right behind him. Before he could even turn around a baseball bat came upside his head and knocked him to the floor.

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><p>"Really Pal? This is the third time this week. You get into more trouble than Wright does." A scruffy looking detective said to Ichigo outside the cafe. Ichigo scowled. "It's not my fault everyone seems it would be a good idea to attack me." The detective sighed as Killer Moth was wheeled by a pair of EMT's. "I knew this would end badly. I'm going to just say no to Kitten next time." Killer Moth groaned out.<p>

"Anyway," the detective continued, "since he didn't really get a chance to do anything he won't be charged. You technically could be charged with assault but no DA would even think about even trying to prosecute you for that."

"It's okay Ichigo. No one is blaming you for how you acted." Barbara wheeled up to them and patted Ichigo on the back.

"Oh Barbara! I didn't see you there!" The detective rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"It's okay Gumshoe. Haven't seen you in awhile." Barbara said.

"Yeah. You haven't been around the station lately."

Barbara rubbed her neck nervously, "I've been... busy."

"Well I understand that." Detective Gumshoe straightens up. '"Well I better get back to the station and go do the paperwork that this whole fiasco caused." And at that Gumshoe walked off.

"Here." Barbara handed Ichigo a scrap of paper.

"What's this?" Ichigo asked.

"My address. In case something like this happens again and you want to talk to someone." Barbara answered.

Ichigo stared at the paper for a while and pocketed it. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

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><p><strong>And that's a wrap.<strong>

**And yes Gumshoe is from Ace Attorney. My Beta insisted.**

_**Well we need a Detective to be on Ichigo side and none of the established officers seemed to work. Besides I like Gumshoe. And I can write for him. **_


	4. Chapter 4

**Author: Grayheart**

**Beta: Aoirann**

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><p>A week later Ichigo found himself lost among the streets of Gotham as he walked to Barbara's apartment, though she said it was hard to miss. In the past week he'd stopped a pickpocket, several muggers and beat up several 'friends' of the stupider thugs he'd first beat up who came after him. So he took Barbara up on her offer and headed over to her apartment for a visit.<p>

Of course fate always had a way of screwing with him.

*BOOM!*

The sudden loud noise and quick rise in heat made Ichigo jump a little as well as increasing his pace and turning the corner. There was a building, a clock-tower on fire and a figure blasting fire at the structure laughing madly. As Ichigo got closer the fire he realized two things. The first was that the flying arsonist was Firefly, one of Batman's villains that Ichigo looked up after Barbara had told him about Batman.(That and the Bat shaped metal idea, a Batarang she called it, that had knocked the gun from the thugs hand was his). The second more important thing was the address of the clock-tower. It was the address Barbara gave for her apartment.

"FUCK!" Yelled Ichigo as he ran faster. He knew Barbara was home because he'd called her just an hour earlier. Firefly flew away as sirens rang. Ichigo growled but ignored the urge to go after him, making sure Barbara was safe came first. He ran into the building as the fire began to spread.

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><p>Ichigo ran up the stairs of the clock-tower, fire already eating through to the second floor. As he reached the fourth floor a section of the stairs groaned and collapse. "Shit!" Ichigo yelled and dashed forward. He lepted over the gap. As he landed the floor started to collapse under his weight. Ichigo managed to somersault forward to prevent himself from falling.<p>

"Barbara!" yelled Ichigo through the cloth of his long sleeve shirt which he had shoved over his mouth and nose as the fire raged around him, the flames almost licking his skin. He didn't hear anything and shouted "BARBARA!" in desperation. At that he barely heard "Over here!" over the roar of the flames. He dashed down the hall where he heard the noise, dodging falling debris. When he got to the end he found a door. He immediate went for the doorknob but pulled back his hand swearing loudly due to the heat. He settled for kicking down the door instead. That's where he found Barbara on the floor her foot caught under a fallen ceiling beam, her wheelchair nearby smashed by a larger one.

"Ichigo!" Barbara questioned a little alarmed and coughed as Ichigo ran over and dragged the beam off her foot with some effort and then lifted her onto his back. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Saving your ass" said Ichigo wasting no time running back down the hall and the down the stairs until they reached the third floor the stairs going down gone.

"Well Shit" said Ichigo looking around his eye settling on a window, Barbara followed Ichigo's view.

"No Ichigo, No don't you Daaarrreee!" yelled Barbara even as Ichigo ran toward the window grabbing a brick and throwing at the window.

"Banzai!" Yelled Ichigo as he jumped threw the broken window. He and Barbara landed roughly on the ground, bouncing several times before stopping.

"Ichigo?"

"Yes?"

"Once I catch my breath I'm going to crawl over and I'm going to kill you."

"How about I trade my I-just-saved-your-life token and we called it even?"

"...Sure."

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><p>The firemen and paramedics showed up a few minutes later and the paramedics took the two young adults to the hospital to be patched up and stay the night for observation.<p>

"You jumped out the third story window?" said Commissioner Gordon to the younger orange haired man who had both his hands wrapped in bandages, several Band-Aids on his arms and face. Ichigo shrugged.

"It was that or burn to death, and I've done stupider things."

That made Gordon sigh.

"I guess I can't say anything because you saved my daughter."

There was a pause.

"Wait you're Barb's dad?"

"Yes."

"Oh. I just knew Barb had a cop for a dad..."

There was a somewhat awkward pause.

"Well isn't this cozy?" said Barbara as she rolled in.

"You escaped the nurses didn't you?"

"Yep."

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><p><strong>And that's a wrap.<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Author:Grayheart**

**Co-Author: Aoirann**

**Authors' Note: With the release of the final arc this story no longer quite fits in with Bleach Canon. So pretend that after Aizen was defeated that was the end of the series and that this is what happens afterwards.**

It had been two weeks after the fire. Ichigo and Barbara had been released the day after the fire, and Ichigo's hands were now healed enough for him to come back to work. His boss was surprisingly understanding at times. He was walking home from the library having needed a book for a project, when he heard the sounds of mocking laughter. Ichigo sighed and looked down the street two thugs next to the form of a downed police officer.

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><p>"The rookie cops are pushovers." Laughed the bigger thug kicking the cop who groaned in pain. His head bloody from where his head hit the pavement "Not a lot of them in Gotham. At least after we get through with them."<p>

"Damn Straight. Ha-ha-_haaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!_" The small thug screamed as he tumbled down the street before skidding to a stop. The bigger thug looked around only for a shoe to smash his face in knocking out a few teeth.

"Hey! You need me to take you to the hospital? You're bleeding pretty badly." Asked Ichigo kneeling next the the cop.

"Just pass me my radio. And put pressure on the wound " said the cop and Ichigo complied. "Ten double zero. Officer down. Citizen managed to incapacitate the suspects that attacked me. I'm battered but alive."

Ichigo stayed with the cop until back up came along. Among the backup was Detective Gumshoe.

"Really Pal? Again?" The detective said as the two thugs were put in the back of the police cruisers and the rookie cop was patched up and sent to the hospital.

"Look it's not like I go out of my way for these things to happen." Ichigo snapped.

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><p>About a week later Ichigo found himself helping Barbara move into her new apartment, which was located in a clock tower between the cafe and Ichigo's college. How she found a new one so fast he wasn't going to ask.<p>

"That's the last one," groaned Ichigo as he set down the last box and stood up straight and stretched, joints cracking. The room was full of boxes and bags of clothes Barbara had recently bought as most of her clothes had been destroyed or ruined in the fire.

"Thanks, Ichigo." Said Barbara as she rolled back into the room. She had been moving a number of other things into a back room that was connected to her bedroom.

"Ichigo can I talked about something?" She seem to have an awkward, nervous air around her. Ichigo blinked and thought to himself. 'Why am I suddenly feeling like I did when Rukia was about to ram her Zanpakto into my heart?'.

"Sure." He sat down on the only part of Barbara's beat up couch that wasn't covered in boxes.

"I want to talk about your vigilante tendencies," said Barbara and Ichigo huffed.

"It's not my fault this place is full of trouble," he grumbled crossing his arms, scowl deepening. " And I can't just sit by and let it happen."

"You prevented a rape, several mugging, a robbery, a kidnapping by villain even though you were the target and you still stopped it and saved that cop Mark." Said Barbara listing the things Ichigo had done.

"I..didn't mean... to?" Ichigo's answer sounded weak even to him.

"Ssssuuurree" said Barbara, she obviously didn't believe him. "So maybe make it official?"

She gestured for Ichigo to follow her through her bedroom into the backroom. He paused at what he saw. The room was full of wires and computers which seem to be monitoring at-least half the city and a fully armored body suit with a bat symbol hung on the wall. Ichigo looked from the suit to the computers then to Barbara.

"You're Batgirl." He said simply stated, that was another thing Ichigo had looked up was other heroes, their villains and in more than a few cases 'sidekicks' and junior heroes.

"I was until Joker put bullet in my spine." Growled Barbara gripping the armrest of her chair "My Father... It was One Bad Day... Joker in the span of one day did just about everything could go wrong, everything was horrible, to make my father snap. But despite everything at the end he slapped Joker in cuffs" Barbara smiled grimly.

"...And I thought your dad was tough before" sighed Ichigo looking at the screens showing Gotham. "So you want me to become a Hero/Vigilante while going to school and working a side job? And on top of that I'm not sure that Batman would like me in his city. That the guy seems territorial. Also while I'm sure you could teach me a lot of things Barb, I'm almost 100% positive that you can't teach me things that I can only learn on the field."

Barbara smiled a little; Ichigo hadn't said 'no' so he wasn't totally against the idea,

"You'll just have to stay out of the big fights and as for the training..."

"She asked me," said a voice coming from behind him. Ichigo didn't even look, he just reacted, slamming the back of his head into whoever was behind him.

"OW!" cursed the same voice as Ichigo turned around. Behind him was a man, maybe an inch or two shorter than him, with short black hair and blue eyes. He was rubbing his nose.

"Sorry about that. I learned awhile ago that you should just attack first when people say something ominous behind you." Said Ichigo folding his arms.

"So you're Genre Savvy. Much better than most of the would be heroes in this city." Said the other man rubbing his nose. He then stopped and held out a hand "Richard Grayson-Wayne. My friends call me Dick"

"Ichigo Kurosaki. Though Barb probably already told you that." Said Ichigo shaking Dick's hand, noticing his firm grip.

"So you're going to be training me then?" Ichigo asked while letting go of his hand.

"Nope. I'm going to be the one that drives your head into the ground and call it training." Dick replied cheerfully.

"Better people then you have done that including my father. I'm not scared." Ichigo rebutted. Dick just smiled.

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><p><strong>One month later<strong>

*WHUMP* "Come on Ichigo ! I've only beat you down three times today!"

Ichigo thought to himself as he was lying face down on a exercise mat 'Despite him kicking my ass in hand to hand combat every day he's ten time better than Hats and Clogs. I mean he uses padded mats. And he hasn't thrown me into a pit after severing my Chain of Fate so that's a plus in my book.'

"Come on Ichigo! Ichigo? Ichigo...? Oh crap." There was the sound of steps quickly approaching Ichigo. 'Three...Two...One...NOW!' Ichigo thought to himself. Ichigo jumped up and did a leg sweep at the person that got near him. When the person fell to the ground Ichigo then leaped forward and did an elbow drop onto the person's solar plexus. Ichigo then got up and then brushed himself off.

"You okay Dick?" Ichigo asked looking down at the now gasping Dick on the floor. Dick managed to shakily raised his hand and gave a weak thumbs up. After a couple of minutes of wheezing Dick managed to get out "Good...Work...I don't think...I can...teach...you...much more...You got..cheap shots...down perfectly."

After a few minute Dick was back to normal "I don't think there's anything else I can teach you off the field without risking Life or Limb" said Dick.

"And that's why Hat'n'clogs would call you a wuss. If it doesn't severely risk your life it's not worth doing was his training philosophy." Said Ichigo deadpan "That reminds me I still owe him several beatings."

"Looks like you're ready for a test run on the field." Said Barbara rolling in with a large box in her lap. Dick picked up a helmet from the box, it was pitch-black and was in the shape of a wolf head, white fangs bared as if to take a bite out of someone.

"So what are you going to be? McGruff the Crime Dog? Take a Bite out of Crime! Ow!"

"I don't know what that was a reference to but I felt that I needed to kick you." said Ichigo

"Nice call Ichigo." Barbara said and the continues while Dick rubbed his shin. "The helmet has a built in radio and a video camera so I'll see and hear everything you do. So keep it somewhat clean." Said Barbara as Ichigo lifted out the first part of the armor that would serve as his costume. It was a thin black armored vest that only covered the front and back of Ichigo's torso. Barbara had a sheepish look on her face. "Sorry. I had to cannibalize my old armor just to get that much armor. It's near-impossible to get legal body armor in Gotham. And the black market just doesn't have the proper type of body armor."

"So don't get shot in the sides. Got it." Ichigo commented and dug out the next part. In his hands was a pair of black cargo pants. They were heavily modified with armor plates spread throughout it. Ichigo noticed a lump in one of the pockets. He reached in and pulled out a matte black pocket watch. Ichigo raised his eyebrow and opened it. The clock dial was an exact replica of the clock face of Barbara's new clock tower apartment.

"Click the button three times fast." Barbara said. Ichigo did so. Suddenly the clock face was replaced by a computer screen. "Backup communicator. Can also send you text and a small map, nothing too fancy due to the small screen. No one expects a pocket watch to have electronics on it." She explained.

"Clever." Ichigo said not noticing Barbara sitting up straighter at that. Dick noticed and smirked.

Ichigo grabbed the next item in the box. A pair of black gloves and boots. The boots were shin high black steel toe boots with metal buckles.

"Those boots have a hidden blade in their toe, just tap the heels to get them out" Barbara elbowed Dick before he could comment on that "Ow! I didn't say anything!"

Ichigo flipped the gloves over and looked at the palms. He then looked closer. The gloves seemed to covered in thousands of tiny hairs.

"Gecko skin gloves. You could climb up perfectly smooth glass with those. I can't get you a grappling gun but I can get you these. Also will make it so that your sword won't get knocked out of your hands easily. Which by the way..." Barbara reached behind her wheelchair and held out a katana. Ichigo slowly took it and inspected it. The sheath was made out of black lacquered wood with black cord wrapped around the handle. Ichigo unsheathed the blade and inspected it. "You haven't cleaned off the oil yet." He commented while cleaning off the blade with his shirt. After he did so he then gave it a few practice swings. "Balanced. Strong and with enough weight behind it. But it's not Zangetsu." Ichigo muttered to himself.

"Zangetsu?" Dick and Barbara both asked.

"My zanpakuto. Lost him in the Winter War." Ichigo said without thinking. Ichigo's eyes then went wide when he realized what he had just said.

"Winter War?" The two of them said.

"I uh... Don't want to...talk about it..."Ichigo said as he slowly shuffled sideways to the door. He reached the door and quickly opened it and ran out. Dick and Barbara only stared at the door.

"Wait. As in the Finland-Soviet Russia war in 1939? That Winter War?" Dick asked.

"Okay I'm going to make sure he isn't an immortal of some sort. Or a clone. Or something along those lines." Barbara said wheeling towards to her computer. "Though something tells me that he didn't mean that one."

"You sure we can trust him?" Dick asked.

"Positive. He did run into a burning building to save me and I can tell you if he is immortal it isn't the type where he suffers no damage. And I know he didn't set it up as Firefly is uncontrollable. Besides he left the sheath, armor, and his keys here. A mastermind he is not." As if on cue Ichigo came back into the doorway.

" I forgot my keys..."


	6. Chapter 6

**Author: Grayheart**

**Co-Author: Aoirann**

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><p>A figure sat on top of a clock tower just after sunset. Said figure was dressed in an armored black outfit. A wolf helmet concealed his face and a black sheathed katana was at his side. The figure was cleaning a small blade as he waited.<p>

"Hey Puppy." *CLANG*

In a flash a small blade embed itself in the wall next to the other person's head.

"Ok... Remind me never to sneak up on you." Said the man tugging the dagger out of the wall as he walk out of the shadow, a blue bird was spread across his chest.

"It's Ookami. Not Puppy." Muttered the 'wolf' crossing his arms. "Big bird."

"Cut it out you two!" Snapped Oracle over the radio. "Don't make me come over there!"

Both men cringed. They didn't even want to know what would happen if she came over.

"Well let's get going." Said Nightwing walking to edge of the building. He blinked as Ichigo ran past him, jumped, and landed with a roll on the next building. Nightwing blinked again and then grinned a little. 'Time to see how Ichigo does on the field,' and ran to join his new partner.

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><p>The first night was quiet so Nightwing used the lull in crimes to help Ookami get the hang of getting around the city and finding his way around the city. Even though he was at a disadvantage due to lack of grappling hook he managed to keep up with him. They had stopped one mugging, but there wasn't much activity.<p>

"I don't know if this is bad luck or good luck but I'm not complaining," muttered Ookami. "It's not usual this quiet is it?"

"It's either like this or it's like all Hell has broken loose." said Oracle

"I doubt anyone else alive can describe hell," muttered Ookami to himself. The night continued on and after a really quiet night, with almost no crime, the two crime fighters went back home at 2 in the morning.

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><p>The second night was as Oracle had commented.<p>

Hell.

The Riddler, one of Batman's villains obsessed with riddles and puzzles, had turned half the city into a giant puzzle, with green glowing question marks everywhere. Criminals of the city were taking advantage of the Riddler's 'distraction' and going on a crime spree.

"I'm starting to hate riddles." Grumble Ookami under his breath as he gazed around and listened from the rooftops. He'd lost track of how many crimes he'd stopped. Nightwing had went to deal with Riddler an hour and a half ago, leaving Ookami alone. (Ookami didn't really count Oracle.)

"They do tend to get annoying." Said Oracle as Ookami landed on top of a meat head trying to rob an electronic store with his two buddies. Both being knocked out with a simultaneous boot to the head as Ookami jumped off the unconscious meat head, flipped in the air and slammed his feet into their faces. Ookami tied them up and left them for the cops. Ookami returned to the rooftop quickly and did a running jump to the next rooftop. In hindsight it might had been better if Ookami had looked-before-he-leaped as half a second later he was falling toward a glass paneled ceiling.

"Oh Fuuuuucccccckkkkk!" Swore Ookami as he smashed the glass and fell through the skylight, twisting in mid air grabbing a cloth hanging from the ceiling, which slowed his fall for half a second. Then a sound echoed *RRRRRIIiiiiiiipppppppppppp!* The cloth ripped making Ookami fall on something.

"OW-!?"

Or rather someone.

Ookami jumped to his feet tense. He hoped it wasn't someone innocent. It turned out to be a man in a green costume with black question marks, a matching bowler, and a question mark shaped can.

"Riddler!" Barked Oracle over the link, and Ookami was quick to act.

"Riddle m-" *Wam* Ookami's fist slammed into Riddler's face sending him sprawling on his back.

"Y-you won't happen to have an aspirin would you?" Slurred Riddler before he passed out. There was silence for a moment, before Oracle spoke up.

"Ookami I don't know whether your luck is good or bad but you're a trouble magnet." Said Oracle part exasperated, part amused as Ookami used the ripped cloth to tie the Riddler up. After Ookami was done he looked around.

"Looks like you're in the museum." Said Oracle commented on the link and Ookami eyed the remains of the cloth, 'hope that cloth wasn't important'.

"Should we contact Nightwing or...?" Ookami trailed off at the obvious question.

"No I'm tracing his signal he should be there right about ...now." said Oracle.

The doors flew open and Nightwing marched through them. "Alright Riddler I solved your... OH COME ON!" Nightwing yelled out exasperated as he saw the scene. Ookami just scratched his head.


End file.
